adminThandeka Moyo Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO City Council worker appeared before the courts yesterday facing 123 counts of fraud amounting to $171, 703 after she allegedly fraudulently cleared water bills for residents and companies. Companies that benefited from her illegal clearances include ZINA Enterprises, Brygen Enterprises, Ms Patel & CO, GNM Marketing and F&D Entertainment.
Samkeliso Violah Sibindi, 30, allegedly also cleared her Magwegwe West house water arrears amounting to $250.
She was remanded out of custody to September 17 by Bulawayo magistrate Sibongile Msipa.
Prosecuting, Tafadzwa Mutsambiwa told the court that Sibindi was employed by BCC as a senior clerical assistant and her duties included debiting and crediting relevant accounts.
“Between January 2013 and May 31, 2013, she unlawfully and with intent to defraud the council cleared arrears of Bulawayo City Council account holders.
“She would enter her name and password only known by her into the computer and clear the arrears. All the 123 account holders that benefited had no receipts from the local authority as proof of payment made in clearing their arrears,” she said.
Mutsambiwa said of the $171,703 that BCC lost, nothing was recovered.
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